Papers digest Alan Johnson's shadow cabinet appointment

Ed Miliband's unexpected appointment of Alan Johnson as shadow chancellor is discussed in the day's newspapers.

There is general surprise that Mr Johnson was chosen ahead of Ed Balls and his wife Yvette Cooper.

The Sun considers it a smart political move because it dilutes what it terms Miliband's "Red Ed" image and shows that he takes the deficit seriously.

The Independent sees Mr Johnson's appointment as a safety first strategy by Mr Miliband.

The Daily Mail highlights reports that the Chancellor, George Osborne, has said he will stagger the effects of the spending cuts over four years.

It suggests he is concerned that the speed and size of the fiscal cuts could bring the economy to a shuddering halt.

Nobel winner

The Financial Times says Mr Osborne has told the Bank of England that he would not stand in the way of a second round of quantitative easing.

This is the creation of money to pump into the domestic economy.

The Independent carries a front page photo of Nobel Peace Prize Liu Xiaobo.

This is done to underline its point that he could not collect his award, because he is in a Chinese jail.

The Daily Express leads with the story from actor Sir Michael Caine that he persuaded a doctor to end his dying father's life.

The Daily Telegraph says Sir Michael Caine could not bear to see his father in anguish and advocated voluntary euthanasia in certain circumstances.

Number 10

Several papers are taken with the unusual date falling this weekend.

Sunday is the 10th day, of the 10th month, of the 10th year and as such is regarded as one of the luckiest of the century, apparently.

The Mail says numerologists claim the row of tens symbolises a powerful "moment of rebirth".

Keeping with this theme, the Express is among a number of papers to report that meteorologists are predicting Sunday will be the last summery day this year.